1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to devices for marking the location of an article or a piece of cargo which has been dropped from a transport vehicle into a body of water. More specifically, the invention pertains to a marking apparatus which is useful, for example, in a firefighting application, where a large water carrying bucket is accidentally or intentionally dropped from a helicopter into a lake or pond. The invention may also be used advantageously to mark the location of an inboard or an outboard motor, or heavy water sport accessories, which have fallen off or from a water craft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes a variety of devices for marking the location of submerged objects, so they can later be retrieved and salvaged. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,370, a canister is attached to an object, such as a fishing pole. A buoyant canister cap is attached to a retrieval line, stored within the canister. A water reactive chemical is also stored within a portion of the canister. When the object is dropped into water, the chemical reacts with the water, producing a gas under pressure which forces the cap and the line out of the canister. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,206, a retrieve/marker for a fishing rod is disclosed. Water soluble glue is dissolved by immersion in the water, and a spring urges the release of a float and an attached tether line. A releasable float for locating and raising sunken objects is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,079. And, a rescue buoy apparatus is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,858. However, none of these prior art devices is specially adapted to facilitate the marking of an article or a piece of cargo which is being carried by or is attached to a vehicle, and then becomes separated from same over a body of water.